Horizon 2020

Horizon 2020

Horizon 2020 is the financial instrument implementing the Innovation Union, a Europe 2020 flagship initiative aimed at securing Europe's global competitiveness. Running from 2014 to 2020 and with a budget of just over EUR 70 billion, the EU’s new framework programme for research and innovation is part of the drive to stimulate growth and create jobs in Europe.

Mission and Services

The scope of research and development actions for EGNSS Mission and Services (MAS) focuses on studying enhancements and new features for already defined services (e.g. Galileo Open Service, EGNOS Data Access Service, etc.), as well as developing concepts for new services (Galileo Emergency Warming Service, Ionosphere Prediction Service for EGNSS users, etc.).

Infrastructure and Technology

The scope of research and development actions for EGNSS Infrastructure and Technology focuses on the technologies that will enhance current systems and enable the introduction of future services, as well as the system and segment level studies defining the next generation of Galileo and EGNOS systems needed for implementing new services.

These actions are managed by the European Space Agency under a delegation agreement.

Horizon 2020 space work programme

Space research is supported in Horizon 2020 under the priority "Industrial Leadership". The main objective and challenge is to ensure Europe’s independent access to space and the development of competitive space technologies. This includes critical technologies for European non-dependence. It is important to reap the benefits of European investments in the space sector, notably through the Galileo and Copernicus systems, but also through space science and exploration missions. The work programme also supports the protection of space assets in and from space, with priorities covering space weather research, as well as networking and improving the performance of Space Surveillance and Tracking (SST) at European level.

The 2018-2020 work programme addresses these challenges and priorities through a set of calls for proposal, normally in the form of grants, and through a set of 'other actions' comprising a variety of funding instruments. Activities funded under 'other actions' cater for specific needs stemming from the implementation of EU-funded space activities and programmes. This includes the SST support framework, and preparing the technologies for the evolution of the European GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System).

In 2018, the call on Earth observation (EO) topics cover market uptake and the evolution of Copernicus services. The goals here are to foster the market development of EO applications, to match the needs of public authorities, and to support the research needs for the evolution of Copernicus services. In 2019, the topic on market uptake is covered again, together with a topic on CO2 emissions monitoring, cross cutting applications between Copernicus services and a topic addressing international cooperation.

Topics related to space business and entrepreneurship (BIZ) aim at fostering technology transfer and business generator initiatives. The focus in 2018 is on support to 'space hubs' linked to Copernicus Relays and Copernicus Academy. Outreach and education activities are also subject of this call, focusing on the dissemination of space research activities in Europe and on promoting space education and research collaboration.

Topics dedicated to boosting the competitiveness of the European space technology (TEC and SCI) address the development of critical space technologies for European non-dependence and competitiveness in 2018 to 2020. In 2018, there is support the 'strategic research cluster' on space robotics as well as generic space technologies and EO technologies. Satellite telecommunication systems and sub-systems represent an important technology niche that is addressed in 2018. Also covered in 2018 is the development of scientific instrumentation for space science and exploration missions.

Topics related to access to space and secure and safe space environment (SEC) address launch system reusability and advanced manufacturing and launch infrastructures (in 2018) as well as space weather (in 2019).

A call for applications in satellite navigation (EGNSS) is presented in the work programme for 2019 and 2020.